A Gogglehead's Gift
by Angel's Hazard
Summary: Chapter two Takato wakes up to find himself in a big predicament Season four characters! Rukato Final posting
1. Chapter 1

Three years, you'd have thought I'd get something done during that time right? I'm such an idiot, I'm sorry.

Takato: Yeah well, write a good story to make up for it then.

Me: I'll see what I can do. I guess I'll start with making this chapter better. Please bear with me though, it'll take awhile, but then you guys have waited so long, a little longer won't hurt, right? looks hopeful

Rika: How pathetic... Just get on with it already.

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or it's characters, though that would be nice. starts dreaming

Gogglehead's Gift  
by Angel's Hazard

**Chapter One: Remembrance**

_-Flashback-_

_A horde of creatures_ g_rowl, like a flock of malformed raptors. Several of them use their bladed arms to slash into their victim; Blood splatters in a gruesome fountain. The scream of a young woman using the last of her strength to protect what she loved._

"_Quo Vadis!" Not wanting to believe the scene in front of him, a tall figure in red and gold armor drops his arm and stares at what used to be his home for what seems like hours, the unmoving forms of two people lying not even five meters away, the home he had lived in for thirteen years a smoldering shell, and the smell of burning bread overpowering his senses, while the ones responsible disintegrated into the night sky. _

_----_

_"Megagargomon, what are you waiting for! Would you use the program already! We can't hold the agents off for much longer!"_

_"I can't, Sakuyamon, not yet! The Mother Reaper still has Jeri and Calumon, if I use it now we lose them too!"_

_"Well don't look at me; I'm too busy trying to stay alive!"_

_Just then, a crimson blur screams past the bickering duo, effectively silencing any further argument._

_"Was that… Gallantmon!"_

_"INVINCIBLE SWORD!"_

_----_

_The swarm of enemies that had come to a stalemate with the shamaness and giant dog-rabbit stood no chance against the enraged crimson angel. Within ten minutes of arriving, the battleground became filled with a blizzard of data particles as the remainders of the Mother Reaper's army disintegrated into the sky._

_Several moments of silence fell until Sakuyamon could rouse herself to check on the ten-winged crimson digimon that appeared to be shaking as he hovered at the base of the blood-red monstrosity that was the Mother Reaper._

_When she finally came within ten meters of him, she began hearing a muffled sound. When she reached out and hesitantly laid her hand on his shoulder, the pressure caused him to turn around to face her. He tentatively reached toward her cheek with his now empty hand. At the same time, he undid his facemask and revealed a visage contorted with continuous sobs, tears leaking down his formerly unseen face ceaselessly. This unexpected revelation caused her to unconsciously reach up herself, wiping her finger through his tears._

_"Ta-kato…?"_

_His eyes snapped towards hers._

_----_

_"Gallantmon, what are you doing!"_

_In contrast to Sakuyamon's distraught yell, Gallantmon looked serene, almost as if he had expected this situation that he was caught in; though how he could have been so calm, pierced through the chest by one last attack of the Mother Reaper, nobody knew._

_Just before he completely disappeared, his golden eyes pierced Sakuyamon's mask, and his lips moved in a silent declaration that only she heard._

_And just like that, leader of the tamers vanished into the void, the others only able to watch in stunned silence._

-End Flashback-

Rika barely noticed the crowd on the sidewalk as she strode toward an abandoned bakery. In life Takato Matsuki and his parents, Mie and Takehiro had lived in it quite peacefully, taking care of their popular shop. Half a decade later, anyone who dared glance at the residence would immediately look away, torn by the images from the end of the final battle. The dwelling they remembered from before the 'battle' was now just an empty concrete shell, not even resembling anything short of a prison cell. And the people that had lived there cruelly taken from this life by beings that had given many a person nightmares for months, even years later.

Emotions always flowed in tears when any of the Tamers came within a block of this former residence, as it reminded them of the leader they had lost in the struggle five long years ago. Knowing that his sacrifice hadn't saved his mother and father just made the experience that much more saddening. Rika had come for one of her biannual visits. Usually she talked to 'him', or just came to get comfort from the once cheery residence. No one knew this, but deeply imbedded in the young woman's heart, was a love for the goggleheaded tamer of Guilmon, the bread-loving virus digimon that had died with his tamer in the final battle with D-Reaper.

Today, something was different though. In two short weeks, Christmas Day was coming to Shinjuku, and holiday cheer was in the air. And in the abandoned bread shop, a strange sort of warmth wrapped itself around her developing figure, almost as if her best friend was standing there, enveloping her in a merry embrace. Smiling to herself, she sat next to the scarred table in the small gutted kitchen, and started "talking" to her 'Gogglehead', telling him all about her life since the last visit.

Little did Rika know, Takato was currently working on a way to the Real World, his parents resting by a brightly burning campfire in the shadows of a desert mesa. Strangely, he was in Gallantmon CM form. That's probably why it also didn't take very long for him to make his way home, Mie and Takehiro Matsuki nestled protectively in his arms…

_'Just a little further Mom, Dad, I'll get us to our home in time for Christmas!_

He thought to himself for a moment, thinking of the nakama he had left behind.

_'I hope the others still remember me.'_

_----_

Henry came upon his apartment after spending most of the afternoon at the Katous' bar. Like Rika, Jeri had lost a parent at a young age, and even though her step-mom was nice, she could never have accepted the woman without help from her Tamer friends. Henry blushed slightly, hoping he would get to see Jeri again. All this time, he had hidden a deep liking for the girl with the infamous sock-puppet, and when Takato revealed that his heart belonged to the Digimon Queen, the feeling just got stronger. With Christmas only a week-and-a-half away, he decided that Jeri needed something special to divert her mind from her domestic problems. Now reaching his room, he sat down at his desk and started brainstorming for the perfect gift.

A light bulb turned on.

_To be continued…_

------

Please review.

A/N: I don't think I'm even going to include Ryo in this story. He just doesn't fit into the tamers' universe (to me anyway), so don't be surprised if all he gets is a shrug in his general direction. All the others will eventually get face time.

Also, this isn't meant to be a long story, maybe four or five chapters at most. But if you think it would be better off being longer, then go ahead and let me know okay?

nakama- comrade, a friend to the degree of being like a sibling


	2. Beginning Anew

Wow, I'm surprised! I seriously didn't expect that kind of response to my first chapter. Seriously; I thought I'd get _maybe _2, four if I was extremely lucky. But ELEVEN?!

Rika: Oh, please. You're gonna make me sick here. Just get on with it would ya?

…Yes Ma'am…

Takato: Sigh.

HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVERYONE!

**A Gogglehead's Gift**

By Angel's Hazard

Chapter Two: Beginning Anew

5 years ago, '?' realm-Digital world

He didn't know how long it had been since he had last seen the others. It seemed like an eternity passed in the blink of an eye, with his consciousness floating on the edge of oblivion. Slowly, his senses came back to him. The first was feeling, though regretfully he wished it hadn't been.

There had been instances, during his time as a Tamer, when he wondered what the digimon felt in defeat, as their data was sent to a place unknown. Surely it would have felt like he did now. Every nerve in his body **screamed** in pain; from his feet to his fingers, it was inescapable. One spot hurt more than the rest combined, though he couldn't remember why. The exact spot where his heart was felt like liquid fire had been poured into him. He couldn't even think, the pain was so intense.

After countless moments, the pain finally started to abate, allowing voices to filter through his semiconscious mind. A groan escaped his lips.

"…Hey Ane-san! He's waking up!" The sound of hurried steps came from far away, purple boots stopping within range of his waking sight.

A soft voice spoke from above him. "Here, some water." The rim of a container was pressed to his lips and the liquid trickled into his grateful lips.

Raising his head, he was greeted by the sight of what appeared to be a girl with purple hair, a visor covering her eyes.

He blinked. In the ensuing, brief, darkness a sound like static came to his ears.

When he opened his eyes again, a girl with long blonde hair stared back with a worried look on her face, no visor in sight.

"How's he doing?" A sudden voice made him and the girl jump. Several footsteps emanated from behind.

"Oh, hi Takuya-kun," The girl replied. "He woke up just now actually."

The young man she spoke to walked up to him and extended his hand. "Nice to meet ya…" He stopped. "Um…" His gaze turned expectant.

"Ta…kato…?" He closed his eyes trying to remember. "Mat…suki Takato… I think that's my name…?"

"O-kaay… Matsuki-san it is then; my name's Takuya, the one in the bandana is Kouji, the big one's JP and the younger guy is Tommy." With each name each of the people behind Takuya came forward. "And she…" Here he nodded a glance to the girl at Takato's side. "…is Zoe. I gotta tell ya, I was afraid you weren't gonna make it for a while there."

"Oh? How come?" As soon as he uttered this, the mood made a 180. "…? What's wrong?"

"We-well, we found you several days ago while we were traveling through a forest, and… y-you had several injuries, b-but there was one that seemed to be the cause of your coma…" the boy named Tommy recounted the tale through a sudden pouring of tears.

At the moment his tale ended, a jagged pain jolted through Takato's nerves, tearing his eyes away from the group gathered around him; and directing them toward a scar that revealed itself on his chest. His eyes widened. "AAaaaaagghhh!!"

"Hey, what's wrong?! What's happening?!" The others flew into a panic at his sudden outburst, and kept alternating their gazes between themselves and his hunched form. At that same instant his left eye throbbed, making him cover it with his hand, now with a steady whimper forcing its way past his lips. Tommy started hiccupping, the terror of the moment taking the most obvious toll on him; though the girl called Zoe was proving to be a close second, hands fluttering back and forth, torn between wanting to comfort the Tamer or getting a first aid kit, among other ideas.

In that moment, his body arched backwards, his arms being flung to each side. As he fell, Takato's entire being began to glow a faint crimson.

As the flabbergasted group looked on, Takato's body merged with the growing light. The radiance began to grow and widen into a much larger shape, getting more brilliant by the second, causing everyone to close their eyes to avoid going blind. And just when the glow couldn't seem to get any brighter, there came a sound like a lightning strike; causing the group to plug their ears against the sudden assault of noise.

Just as suddenly as it had started the sound vanished, and the light disappeared. As the five kids slowly revived their senses, opening their eyes and unblocking their ears, they were witness to a shocking scene.

An angel in crimson armor lay unconscious on the ground, ten luminously white wings spread out behind him.

The silence was deafening.

_To be continued…_

----

A/N: Gah! Why can't I ever write a longer chapter?! And why can I never get one out more quickly… (mopes)

Rika: How pathetic can you get! A slug could write faster than you! And don't get me started on this garbage you end up with.

Me: Whimper

Takato: Ouch, don't you think that's a little harsh…?

Rika: Hey, he's the one putting words in our mouths… (walks off)

Takato: … (sighs) She has a point.

Me: sniffle.

Please Read and Review!


End file.
